Monday, August 18, 2014

(Cowes, Isle of Wight, England)- Organized by the Royal Ocean Racing
Club, the Sevenstar Round Britain and Ireland Race is undoubtedly living
up to its reputation as one of the toughest yacht races in the world.
While other ocean races are longer, racing 1,800 miles around a
coastline notorious for highly changeable weather and wicked tides and
currents, puts the race amongst the most difficult to complete, let
alone win. In fact, conditions were so tough at the start, the RORC
wisely delayed the start 24 hours to avoid the remnants of a
“depression”/ hurricane that was sweeping across the British Isles.

After the start on Sunday, the Volvo 65s have whistled around the top of
the island and the famous “Muckle Flugga” island lighthouse. The rest
of the fleet are now struggling to actually get around it as they head
north in the North Sea.

The only bad news so far is that the J/109 RUAG WHITE KNIGHT had
reported a separated shoulder amongst its crew, but everyone was doing
OK. At this stage, amongst the J/Teams, first is the J/122 RELENTLESS
ON JELLYFISH, sailed by Chris Radford and James George followed by the
J/111 BRITISH SOLDIER, the UK’s Army Sailing Association team, skippered
by led by Phil Caswell and in third is Rob Hammond and the UK’s Royal
Armoured Corps Yacht Club sailing the J/109 RUAG WHITE KNIGHT 7.Follow the three J/Teams with YellowBrick tracking. For more RORC Round Britain & Ireland Race sailing information